Centrifugal ore-separator



J. A. RICE.

CENTRIFUGAL ORE SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILZD JUNE 25.1919.

1 ,344,5 1 9. Patented June 22, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

V.. 77 ATTORNEYS J. A. RICE.

CENTRIFUGAL ORE SEPARATOR.

APPLICAHON FILED JUNE 25.1919.

[,3 44;, 5 1 9 e ed June 22, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVEN TUB 4 TTURNEYS WITNESSES aonnimswoa'rn men, or sax ramcisoo, cALIroaNm.

CENTRIFUGAL OBE-SEPARATOR.

sp c ion Letters ratent. Patented June 22, 1920.

Application filed June '25, 1919. Serial No. 806,582.

- To all whom may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. RICE, a citizen of the United- States, and a resident of San Francisco, in thecounty of San Francisco and State of California, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Ore-Se arators, of which the following is a spec' cation.

This invention is an improved centrifugal ore separator, especially adapted for separating materials differing in specific grav ity, such as mineral particles from mill pulp, particles of miherals from flue dust, or bag house products, different minerals constituting concentrates, li uids which may be caused toseparate into iquids differing in specific gravity, and ases such as furnace gases from smelters, w ere it may be desirable to extract finely divided dust rticles from gas, or to separate two gases ifi'ering in s ecific gravity.

Tiie object of my invention is to provide an im roved machine of this character which is simple in constnuctionyis reliable and eflicient in c eration and which is automatically contro ed; 5 1

Another object of the invention'is to efle ct improvements in the construction of .the

centrifugally 'acting separating element, whereby the pressure or centrifugal weight of the heavier material is availed of to cause the lighter material or tailings to be dischar d. i r

Anot 'er object of the invention is to com bine with the said separating element centrifugally actin means to automatically regulate the disc arge of the heavier material.

Anotherobject of the invention is to pip-- l g vide' means for automatically centre the operation of y the discharge regulating means and causin the same to control the discharge of the degree. F a 3 With the above, and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction,

combination and arrangement; of devices hereinafter described and claimed, 1 In the accompanying drawings?- Figure 1 is .a'vertlcal central "sectional view 'of a separating machine especially.

' before is adapted for use, in treating material such as ancewit one embodiment of'my-inventionl Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the eavier material a fine.

ified and constructed in accord- H cially adapted for use in separating gases, such as smelter smoke, which differ in specific gravity, and in separating flue dust and finely "divided particles suchas smoke particles from said gases.

The frame 1 may be of the construction here shown or of any other suitable construction, and is provided at the bottom with a hopper 2 which has an inclined bottom 3' and a dischar e spout 4. Cross bars 5, near the upper en of the frame are provided with a vertical tubular bearing memher 6; which is arranged centrally of the frame, and lower cross bars 7 have a bearing member 8, which is also arranged centrally of the frame. a

A vertical tubular shaft 9 has its upper end provided with a ball bearing 10, with which the member 6 is etiuipped. Said tubular shaft has an annu ar flange 11 at a suitable distance from its lower end, and

which bears on certain of the bearing balls M of a ball bearing 12, with which the member 8 is equipped.

A separating element comprises a disk 13, a cover 14 over the disk and a ring 15 below the disk. The cover has a depending peripheral flangelfiand the ring has a pcripheral wall 17 which is coincident with and below said flange. (The diameter of the disk is less than that of the cover and ring,

so that an annular pocket. 18 is formed on with said shaft. Said hub member has a substantially truncated conical upper end which projects through the opening 20, as shown. The ring is supported by radial arms 23, which project from a sleeve hub 24, which is on the lower end of the tubular shaft and is arranged for slight vertical movement, so that the ring may be slightly raised or lowered as required to regulate the discharge of the heavier particles of the concentrates.

A vertical rod 25 extends through the tubular shaft and projects above and below the same. A nut 26 is screwed to the lower end of said rod and bears under the sleeve hub. The upper end of said rod is swivelly connected as at 27 to the diametrically enlarged lower end 28 of a vertical screw 29, which is arranged and vertically movable in the bearing member 6. The upper portion of the screw is unthreaded and is arranged for vertical movement in a bearing member 30. which is here shown as supported by cross bars 30 at the upper end of the frame.

A gear nut 31 is threadedly engaged withsaid screw and is mounted between ball bearings 32 which are arranged between the bearingmembers 36 and 6.

The tubular shaft 9 is provided with a pulley 33 which is driven by a. power belt 34 and hence said tubular shaft and the separating element which is carried thereby are rotated, when the machine is in operation. The materialto be treated is fed to the separating element through the opening 20 by a supply hopper 35. A supply chute 36 is here shown to supply material to said hopper.

The rod 25 has an annular groove 37 which is engaged by the arms 38 of a pair of oppositely inclined levers 39. Said levers are pivotally mounted as at 40 between pairs of lugs 41 on the flange 11 and have their outer portions screw-threaded and provided with centrifugally acting weights 42, which are screwed and are adjustable thereon. The said weights and levers tend, in coaction with the rod 25 to raise the ring and to close its flange wall 17 against the lower edge of the flange wall 16 of the cover.

At opposite sides of the tubular shaft are vertical shafts 43, 44, the lower ends of which are respectively stepped in bearings 45, 46, with which cross bars 47 of the frame are here shown as provided. Said shafts are respectively provided witlrpulleys 48, 49, said pulleys having armatures 50, 51, respectively on their upper sides. The pulley 48 is connected to the tubular shaft by a belt 52, and the pulley 49 is connected to the tubular shaft by a crossed belt 53.

Electro-magnets 54, 55 are respectively associated with the pulleys 48, 49. Electromagnet 54 has a tubular shaft 56, which is mounted for rotation with relation to the shaft 43, has its upper portion mounted in a bearing 57 and is provided with a pinion 58, which engages the gear nut 31. The electro-magnet 55 has a tubular shaft 59 which is mounted for relative rotation on the shaft 44, and is also mounted in a bearing 60 and is provided at'its upper end with a pinion 61 which also engages the gear nut 31.

The electro-magnet 54 is connected in electric circuit with a batter 62 or other source of electric energy an with an adjustable contact 64 on one side of the separating element, by conductors 63. The electro-magnet 55 is connected in circuit with the battery 62 and with an adjustable contact 65 on the opposite side of the separating element by means of conductors 66. The electric-circuits are here illustrated diagrammatically. Normally each circuit is open and hence the electro-magnets are normally deenergized. The said contacts are here shown as screws mounted in brackets 67 supported on and insulated from the separator. The contact 65 has an annular flange 68 at its lower end.

I also provide pressure operated means to coact with the contacts to successively complete one circuit and open the other circuit, and which I will now describe. A cylinder 69 is arranged in a. vertical opening in the cover of the separating element and is open at the upper end, thelower end of the cylinder being closed by a flexible diaphragm 70 which is stretched across said opening and secured at the periphery. A weight piston 71 is secured on the center of said diaphragm and has an upwardly extending rod 72, which has an arm 73 at the upper end adapted to come in contact with the lower end of the contact screw 64 when the diaphragm and weight piston are moved upwardly.

A cylinder 73 is arranged in a vertical opening in the opposite side of thc cover of the separating element and is open at its upper end, the lower end of said cylinder being closed by a flexible diaphragm 74, which is stretched across said opening and secured at its periphery. A weight piston 75 is secured on the center of said diaphragm and has an upwardly extending rod '76, which rod has a laterally extending arm 77 at its upper end. Said arm is above the flange 68 of the contact screw 65.

Centrifugally acting levers 78. 79, are respectively provided to cooperate with the weight pistons 71, 75. Said levers are pivotally mounted on the cover of the separating element as at 80, 81. The lever 78 has an arm 82 at its lower end which engages in an opening in the rod of the piston 71. The lever 7 9 has a similar arm 83 which on ages in an opening in the rod of the piston 5. Said levers are oppositely inclined and The operation of my invention is as follows :-The material to be treated is fed by the chute 36 and hopper 35 through the opening into the revolving separating element and onto the central portion of the disk or table 13. The disk acts centrifugally to cause the material to move toward the periphery thereof, as will be understood, and all the material, including the fluid part, passes over the periphery of the disk, where a partial separation takes place, according to the various degrees of specific gravity of the material, the heaviest particles collecting on the ring or lower member of the separating element, in the pocket 18, and against the wall 16, 17, and owing to its superior specific gravity and consequent superior centrifugal weights, displacing the fluid and the lighter particles and forcing the same centripetally toward the axisand causing the same to flow through the channel between the ring and the disk, to the discharge at 19. The tailings discharge, after leaving the vicinity of sald channel, flows over the beveled inner edge of the ring, where any remaining heavy particles will settle on said beveled surface and tend to gravitate into the (pocket 18, while the lighter particles and constituting the tailings, will discharge at 19 and fall into the hopper 2. The disk acts centrifugally to cause all material introduced at 20 to be carried to a place of maximum centrifugal influence at 18, and causes the fluid to. pass through the material collected at 18, separating the particles and permitting the heaviest particles to pass through the annular opening 86 formed between the flanges 16, 17, which constitute the peripheral wall of the separating element.

The weights 42 having been appropriately adjusted, eavy concentrate accumulates in the pocket and against the annular wall of.

the separating element and also by its pressure and centrifugal Wei hts presses upwardly against the diap ragms 70, 74.

When the pressure becomes suflicient to cause the diaphragm to cause the contact 7 2 to e age the'contact 64, an electric circuit is comp eted through the electromagnet 54, said electromagnet is energized, and hence by attractingfthe armature 50 which iscarried by the pulley 48, said pulley, which is constantly revolved in'one directiom'coacts with the said electromagnet to form an electric clutch, said magnet, is caused to revolvewith said pulley, and hence the pinion 58 causes the gear nut 31 totur'n in the required direction to move the screw 29'and hence also the rod 25 downwardly, thus slightl lowering the ring or lower m ber 15 of t e'se arating element, and correspondingly wi ening and opening the" annular discharge opening 86 and permitting a regulated discharge of cuit at 72--64, and opening 86 will cease widening and opening.

The machine will now operate with said opening 86 of constant size until the pressure decreases to a certain minimum. If it decreases to a certain minimum the diaphragm 74: will by the lowering of the piston weight 75 cause an electric circuit, including the electro-magnet 55, to be closed by the contacts 65, 77, and since the pulley 49 revolves in the opposite direction to the pulley 48, the electro-magnet 55, by attracting the armature 51 will be caused to revolve with the said pulley 49, an electric clutch being formed by said electro-magnet and said pulley, and hence the pinion 61 and gear nut 31 will permit the centrifugally act ing weights 12, and associated levers 39, to slightly raise the rod 25, thus correspondingly raising the ring 15 and hence decreasing the ,width of the discharge opening 86, as will be understood.

'Hence the discharge of the heaviest concentrate is automatically controlled by the centrifugal weight and conse uent pressure of such concentrate and the e ective area of the discharge opening of the centrifugally acting separatingelement is varied according to the accumulation of the heavier concentrate in the peripheral portion thereof.

The weights 42 and levers 39 would not of themselves automatically control the discharge of the material to a sufliciently fine degree,.but by the provision of the electric clutch mechanism and the pressure actuated circuit closing devices hereinbefore described to control the operation of the centrifugally acting weights and levers'I attain a complete automatic control of the discharge of concentrate, notwithstanding changes of speed inthe revolution of the separating element, or variation or irregularities in the 118 feedin of the material to the machine or lack 0% homogeneity in the material being treated.

Within the scope of my invention any suitable'means may be employed to rela- 120 tively adjust the members of the separating element thereby vary the efi'ective area of theidi'scharge opening thereof and any suitable means may beemployed to. automatioally control the operation of such adjusting. meansflmd I would have it understood that 1 do not limit myself to the means here shown and described for these purposes.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings I show a modified form of my invention which is especiallv adapted for separating solid particles from gases such as smelter smoke and the like and for the separation of two gases of different specific gravity.

A smoke pipe 87 leads from a furnace and has an upwardly directed elbow 88. The separating element comprises a truncated conical upper member 89, an inverted truncated conical lower member 90, and a centrifugal disk or table 91. Said members 89, 90, are respectively provided at their smaller ends with cylindrical portions 92, 93. The cylindrical portion 93 fits loosely and is free to rotate in the upper end of the elbow 88. The cylindrical portion 93 fits loosely and is free to rotate in the lower end of the elbow 94 of a ipe 95, which leads to a smelter stack. ence the products of combustion pass through the separating element.

A vertical tubular shaft 96 passes through the center of the separating element and also through the center of the elbows and has its lower end stepped in a bearing 97. Said shaft has a suitable driving pulley 98. A rod 99 is arranged in the upper portion of the tubular shaft and has radial arms 100 which are attached to the lower member of the separating element. Suitable blades or wings 101 to impart circular motion to the gases are attached to the tubular shaft and are arranged in the said lower member. The upper member is connected by arms 102 to the tubular shaft for rotation therewith. The disk or table is attached at the center directly to the tubular shaft. Suitable blades or wings 103 to take up part of the energy and utilize the same are arranged -in the upper member. The lower member may be slightly raised or lowered by the rod 99, which is vertically movable in the tubular shaft, and an annular discharge opening 104 is formed between the upper and lower members. The width of this opening may be varied by adjusting the lower member as will be understood. To automatically effect such adjustment, I provide a pair of centrifugally acting levers 105, which are pivotally mounted as at 106 on opposite sides of the upper portion of the tubular shaft and the arms 107 of which are engaged in an annular groove 108 with which the rod is provided. Weights 109 are on said levers and in practice suitable means is provided to permit of adjustment of said weights as may be required.

The mixed gases containing particles of solid material enter the lower member of the separating element and caused to rotate therewith by means of the blades or wings 101, and are deflected to a region of maximum centrifugal action by the disk. The solid particles or a heavier gas, will collect in the periphery of the separating element and are discharged therefrom through the opening 104. Such discharge is automatically regulated by the centrifugally acting weights and levers and the vertically adjustable lower separating member. The cleaned gases pass from the separating element into the pipe 95 and from there to the stack.

I claim 1. In a machine for separating materials differing in specific gravity, a separating element mounted for rotation and comprising an upper member having a central inlet opening, a lower ring-like member, a peripheral discharge opening being formed between said members, and a table between the members, and of less diameter than the members, said table extending over the opening of the ring-like member and forming with said members an annular peripheral chamber.

. 2. In a machine for separating materials differing in specific gravity, 2. separating element comprising upper lower members having opposed peripheral flanges between which there is a discharge opening, the upper member having a central inlet opening, and tangential ribs on its inner face, and the lower member being in the form of a ring, and a table between the members and of less diameter than the said members, said table extending over the opening of the ring-like member and forming with said members a peripheral annular chamber.

3. In a machine for separating materials differing in specific gravity, a separating element comprising upper and lower members having opposed peripheral flanges, the upper member having a central inlet opening and tangential ribs on its inner face and the lower member being in the form of a ring, a table secured to ribs of the upper member and of a diameter less than that of the said members, said table extending over the opening of the ring-like members and forming with said members an annular peripheral chamber, and means for adjusting the upper and lower members relatively one to the other to form a discharge opening between their flanges.

4;. In a machine for separating materials differing in specific gravity, a separating element mounted for rotation and comprising an upper member having a central inlet opening and a depending peripheral flange, a lower ring-like member having an upwardly extending peripheral flange opposite the flange of the upper member, and a table between the said members and of less diameter than the said members, and extending beyond the opening of the ringlikc member, the members forming an annular chamber, adjacent the flanges, and

element mounted for rotation and comprising an n per member, a lower member, and

a centri ugally acting table forming also a baflie, means to automatically adjust one of the first named members toward and from the other to form a peripheral o ening for the discharge of heavier materia s between them and to vary the eifective area of said opening, and means, controlled by variations in the centrifugal weights of the material 'in the separating element, to control the operations of said adjusting means.

6. In a machine for separating materials differing in specific gravity, a separating ele ment mounted for rotation and comprising an upper, intake member, a lower, tailing discharge member, and a centrifugal-1y acting table, forming also a baffle, centrifugally acting means to automatically adjust one of the first named members toward and from the other to form a peripheral opening between them for the discharge of heavier materials, and means to control the operation of said adjusting means, said controlling means including an element movable in one direction by the centrifugal weights of materials in the peripheral portion of the separating element and centrifugally acting means to move said movable element in the reverse direction. j Y

7. In a machine for separating materials differing inspecific gravity, a separating element mounted for rotation and havin an intake member, a tailings dischargemem er, a bafile member, and a peripheral opening" for the dischar e of heavier material, means to automatica y varythe efiective area'of said opening, and controlling means for the last named means, said c0ntrollir(g means includin an element movable inone direction by t e centrifugal weights or materials in the perlpheral portion of the separating element and countervailing means to move the' said movable element inthe reverse direction.

8; In a machine for. separating materials difi'ering in's ecific gravity, a separating element mounte for rotation and having an intake member a tailings discharge member,

a baflle mem er, and a eripheral opening for the'discharge of eavier materials,

means to automatically vary the 'efiective area of said opening, andcontrollmg means for the last named means, said controlling means including a translatin element, an a circuit breaker, said circuit reaker includingan element movable in one direction by the centrifugal weights of material in the peripheral portion o f the separating element, and cou'nterva lmg means to move i I s by material in the chamber of the element for moving the movable member to vary the area of the discharge opening. I

10. In a machine for separating materials differing in specific gravity, a rotary separating element comprising an upper member, a lower ring-like member movable toward and from the upper member, and a table between the members and extending beyond the opening of the ring-like member, the said members having between them a pcripheral chamber and a peripheral discharge opening, centrifugal means for adjusting the lower movable member, and means controlled by-the' material in the said chamber for moving the lower member to vary the area of the discharge opening.

11. In a machine for separating materials differing in specific gravity, a separating element comprising an upper member, a lower movable rin -like member, and a table between the mem ers and extending over the openin of the ring-like member, the members orming between them a pcripheral chamber and a peripheral discharge opening, and means controlled by the material in the chamber of the separating element for movin the lower member to vary the area of the ischarge opening.

12. In a machine for separating materials difiering in specific gravity, a separating element comprising a lura ity of members of which one is movab e up and down, said element havin a peripheral chamber, and a peri heral ischarge opening, and means contro led by the materlal in the chamber of the element for moving the movable member to vary the area of the discharge openarea 0 the discharge opening.

14. In a machine for separating materials differing in specific vity, a separating element comprising a p urality of members, the

lower one of which is movable up and down, said element having a peripheral chamber and a peripheral discharge opening, electrically operated means for moving the said movable member to vary the area of the discharge opening, and a circuit closing and breaking means controlled by the material in the chamber of the separating element.

15. In a machine for separating materials difl'ering in specific gravit a separating element comprlsing a plura ity of members the lower one of which is movable up and down, the element having an annular peripheral chamber and a peripheral discharge opening, the upper member having cylinders above the said chamber, the upper ends of which are 0 en and the lower ends of which are closed by flexible diaphra ms, a rod connected with the movable mem er of the element, electro-magnets, gearing between the electro magnets and the rod, electric circuits, contacts carried by the upper member of the element, pistons in the said cylinders and carrying contacts, and centrifugally operated levers engaging the contacts of the'pistons.

JOHN AINSWORTH RICE. 

